John 3:1-16

1Nicodemus was a Pharisee and a member of the Jewish council.

2He came to Jesus one night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that God has sent you as a teacher. No one can perform the miracles you perform unless God is with him.”

3Jesus replied to Nicodemus, “I can guarantee this truth: No one can see God’s kingdom without being born from above.”

4Nicodemus asked him, “How can anyone be born when he’s an old man? He can’t go back inside his mother a second time to be born, can he?”

5Jesus answered Nicodemus, “I can guarantee this truth: No one can enter God’s kingdom without being born of water and the Spirit.

6Flesh and blood give birth to flesh and blood, but the Spirit gives birth to things that are spiritual.

7Don’t be surprised when I tell you that all of you must be born from above.

8The wind  blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you don’t know where the wind comes from or where it’s going. That’s the way it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”

9Nicodemus replied, “How can that be?”

10Jesus told Nicodemus, “You’re a well-known teacher of Israel. Can’t you understand this?

11I can guarantee this truth: We know what we’re talking about, and we confirm what we’ve seen. Yet, you don’t accept our message.

12If you don’t believe me when I tell you about things on earth, how will you believe me when I tell you about things in heaven?

13No one has gone to heaven except the Son of Man, who came from heaven.

14“As Moses lifted up the snake ⌞on a pole⌟ in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up.

15Then everyone who believes in him will have eternal life.”

16God loved the world this way: He gave his only Son so that everyone who believes in him will not die but will have eternal life.